Just a little laughter between friends
by MovieGal007
Summary: The Force Awakens: Rey is an emotional mess. Her world has been turned upside down. Poe and Finn decide to help her out.


AN : This one shot just kind of appeared. Spoilers Duh. I don't own anything, it all belongs to Disney. Just a little story of friends bonding.

********************************Rebel base*********************************

She had done it.

Rey, the orphan of Jakku, had found the missing Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi. Whatever those were or that meant. Sure she knew the stories, she used to listen in when some of the elders on Jakku talked around the fire when she was small but it was nothing more than stories, fairy tales. Rey shook her head trying to clear her mind. She had been unable to focus for days.

He hadn't been kind to her but he hadn't been cruel either, just cold, distant.. She had held that light saber out to him and he had looked at her with such stormy eyes and taken it. "Let's go." That was all he had said to her, as they had walked back down to Chewbacca, R2 and the waiting millennium falcon. Rey had been a few strides behind the Jedi and Luke had greeted Chewie solemnly, said something to R2 before he and R2 had locked themselves into one of the falcon's inner chambers.

Once they had arrived back at the base, Luke had been whisked off in a strange reunion with general Organa. The whole thing had felt ...uncomfortable. Rey was happy to have been outside the radius of people, droids, noise and things happening. She watched it all, like one who looks in from a window at a scene.

She should be use to being an outsider but after everything she had been through recently...Rey held back the tears that gathered just behind her lashes. Her life had been twisted and turned so much in the past few weeks she didn't even know herself anymore. It hurt inside, everything she had been through made her feel like a stranger in her own body. At least Finn was getting better. Poe had promised her the medics for the rebels were the best of the best and true to his word Finn was on the mend.

She had yet to go see him...

Rey found herself alone in the training room, it was late into the night, she didn't know the time as nights here were shorter than the ones on Jakku. The place was dimly lit but that didn't bother Rey. There was enough light to see by, even if it wasn't bright. She punched and kicked, swung her staff over and over sweat dripping down her brow. She didn't want to stop, she was trying to remember...the force. The feeling she had in her fight with Kylo, the way the light inside her felt. She might have even won that fight if planet destruction had not separated them. Rey collapsed to her hands and knees from the effort of her training. Every time she got close to that feeling it slipped like grains of sand through her fingers and out of her mind again.

"Ugh!" She growled and hit the mat under her hands. Sweat dripped in her eyes. Why couldn't she do it?

"Beep boop?" Came a familiar sound from behind her, startling Rey.

She swirled her face around to the noise and got to her feet. "BB8...*pant*...what?"

The little droid rolled into the room. " Beep boop? Boop beep beep." he asked her.

Rey shook her head. "I'm fine BeBe, I couldn't sleep anyway." She said offhandedly shrugging.

BB8 made a rude splat like sound before rolling back out of the room and down the hall. She was going to be stubborn was she, well he had experience with stubborn humans. His master was the most stubborn of them all, he would make Rey stop punishing herself. BeBe rolled to a door and clicked, the mechanisms in the door recognized the little droid and opened for him. BeBe rolled into the dark room. It was nice and round, like him, with a bed at the back of the circle, a small table and chair on one side and a pile of clothes, clean and dirty, on the other side.

"Beep! Beep boop." BB8 whined as he gently nudged the hand of his sleeping master that was hanging over the side of the bed. "Beeeeeeeeeep."

Poe stirred with a grunt and looked at the chronos time keeper. "BeBe...its not even dawn..."

BB8 wiggled in place. "Bep, beep booop beep beeeep boop."

That got Poe's attention. "She's doing what?" BB8 went to repeat himself but Poe shook his head. "I understood the first time." He sighed, sitting up on the bed. He rubbed at his face before going to the pile of random clothes and grabbing a shirt that didn't smell too much like body odor. He really needed to take his clothes down to the fresher but being a communal fresher it seemed always busy and he didn't have two hours to waste waiting on his clothes. Poe ran his hands through his hair and went out into the hall. "Ugh." He squinted at the bright lights before turning right. Bebe whistled at him, that wasn't the right way. "Come on lets see if a friend is awake."

BB8 beeped in happiness as they moved towards the medical section of the building. As they walked Poe's mind drifted to thoughts towards the girl from Jakku. Strong, independent but so lonely and neglected. The first time they had eaten together before setting out to blow up the weapon she had no knowledge of how to hold a fork or even what it was called. Still Rey could be stubborn, Poe knew she must be going through a lot of internal turmoil.

Making it to the medical bay Poe broke out into a grin. The light was on. Finn was awake. The door opened with a gentle swish and Poe stepped into the room. "Hey Finn." He called out.

Finn looked up from his medical bed putting down the data pad he had been reading. "Man you are a sight for sore eyes." He smiled. "I have been so bored."

Poe laughed. "I thought troopers were trained to stand for hours not thinking about anything?"

Finn shook his head as his friend came over to his medical bed. "Not quite, its complicated."

Finn was looking better then he had in days, the light was back in his eyes, he smiled now and his chest was wrapped in white bandages. It was cute. "How's Rey?" Finn asked startling Poe from his musings. "I'd heard she's back and that she found the Jedi. She...hasn't come to see me yet..." The sadness in his voice was heartbreaking.

Poe pulled over a chair. "Yeah, she found the Jedi, from what I gather he didn't even say more than two words to her. She's in a bad place mentally and emotionally right now. That's why I came to see if you were up. BeBe says Rey's in the training room torturing herself." Poe chuckled slightly but the fear in Finn's eyes made the sound die in his throat. "Not really torturing herself," He quickly assured his bandaged friend. "She's just over doing it. I think she could use some friends right now. Feel up to getting out of this stuffy room for a bit?"

Finn nodded quickly. "I've felt up to walking for two days now but the medics still won't let me out. Something about ripping open stitches."

Poe laughed, "I promise we won't do anything crazy." As he helped his friend up and out into the hallway. BB8 right behind them.

Meanwhile Rey had tried to do a side kick she had seen some of the other fighters do, over and over and over. Finally her legs gave out and with a squeak of surprise she folded to the ground. She laid her forehead on the padded floor and took in a few deep breaths.

"You're going to hurt yourself if you keep that up." A voice spoke from just a few feet away.

Rey whipped her head up. "Poe." She said as he smiled at her.

"I brought a friend." and with that Finn stepped out from behind Poe.

"Finn!" Rey cried out his name, forcing her wobbling legs to stand as she stumbled to go to him. The instant she saw him she forgot all about her hesitation and fear of him dying. He was right there in front of her. He was alive! He was okay! She...she wanted to hug him but stopped just short of him. Unsure of what was expected.

"Poor kid." Poe thought, Rey honestly had no idea how to express you cared about someone. He watched as she reached out dragging a hand down Finn's chest and belly touching the bandages. She was worried.

Finn pulled away slightly from her touch with a giggle in his voice. "Don't Rey, I'm ticklish."

Rey blinked in confusion. She didn't know that word. Was it a word for pain? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." Her voice was full of regret and apology.

Finn and Poe exchanged glances. "You weren't hurting him Rey, it tickled that's all." Poe said, Finn nodded.

Rey looked down at the floor. "I don't know that that word means." She said quietly after a moment. Her basic vocabulary was well below many of the other rebels. It bothered her.

Poe smiled but bit his lower lip trying to hid his smile. Finn couldn't hide his smile. In that single look the boys both agreed this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Poe rubbed his chin and tried to sound serious and adult. "Well not everyone is ticklish, but tickling is one of the many ways friends show they care about each other. It doesn't hurt, in fact everyone usually has a good time."

"I still don't understand." Rey said. "What is it?"

Finn smiled, "Best way to explain it is to show you."

Rey was looking at him expectantly and Finn quickly darted his eyes over her shoulder to Poe. Now or never. Poe reached around Rey and began tickling her tummy and ribs. Instantly the little orphan squealed in delight, laughter bubbling forth like a flood gate being open. Her legs gave out from over exertion but Poe easily lowered the laughing girl to the floor. She pushed at his hands, trying to get the wiggling fingers away.

"Most humans are ticklish on the belly." Poe teased as he tickled a struggling, protesting Rey.

"Hey! Save some fun for me." Finn pouted, kneeling down carefully on the mat next to them, so as not to aggravate his injuries.

Poe gently captured Rey's wrists and held them over her head exposing her arm pits. "Arm pits," Poe mocked playfully. " Another common tickle spot. Want to do the honor Finn?" He asked Finn, a laugh in his voice.

Rey was slightly recovered and began to squirm. "Finn don't you..." But she didn't get to finish her thought as Finn began to tickle her arm pits. Rey squealed, laughing louder than before and tried to kick but Finn was unstoppable.

"Here hold her wrists." Poe offered, Finn did so and while he now only had one hand open to tickle under her arms with Poe was free to move around her.

Laughing hard, Rey was only slightly aware of Poe's movements, that is until she felt her shoes being removed. "Poe! Hahaha No, what are..hahaha you...heehee...doing? Hahahahaha! Sthahahahaop!"

Poe tried to keep his voice serious and nodded to Finn to stop for a moment. He did and Rey caught her breath. Poe smiled, "This, and it is often the most ticklish place on a human. The feet." Poe said trapping Rey's exposed feet into his hands.

Rey eyes went big. "Poe..." she tried to warn but he danced his fingers up her soles silencing any coherent words. Rey laughed and laughed, tears starting to come to her eyes as Finn began to alternate tickling her arm pits and her belly while Poe had all his attention on her little bare feet.

Rey was too tired to fight and stopped wiggling. Her laughter and the tickles hadn't stopped but she surrendered to feeling. The moment she did the light that had been alluding her for days surrounded and filled her body and mind. It washed over her with a balm of contentment, acceptance and most of all love. The feelings of the light, the force, washed out from her like ripples on a pond. Finn and Poe both felt it and stopped there torment. Each with there own thoughts for a moment.

"Rey?" Finn asked worry in his voice. She didn't stir and her eyes were closed. He looked horrified at Poe despite of the contentment he felt washing over him. "She passed out! Should I get the medics?"

Poe shook his head. "She's asleep Finn."

Finn looked down at Rey, her steady breathing coming to his ears as wave after wave of happiness and loves washed over him like a warm glow. Calmed as he moved a stray hair from her sweat soaked brow taking in the countenance of his female friend. "She looks like an angel." Finn said with a yawn, this feeling of light was too hard to fight and sleep was about to claim them both.

Poe nodded, and had no desire to leave either of there sides tonight. He had no words for it but this feeling made him want to draw near both of them, protect them. "BeBe." He called, the little robot rolled over. "Watch the hallway okay? Anyone starts to come down you wake me up right away." Poe knew that anyone finding him with two of the youngest and most vulnerable rebel members would look...questionable. Even if it was innocent.

BB8 beeped and rolled off ready to fulfill his duty as night watchman. Poe looked back over, Finn was already asleep curled up next to Rey. With a bit of effort Poe retrieved a few towels from the other side of the room. He covered both of them before laying back down on the other side of Rey and covering himself. They waves she was giving off were starting to lessen. Poe felt his eyes close.

On the other side of the base Luke Skywalker smiled in his meditation. They energy she gave off was so pure, so light, so familiar.

Light years away Kylo Ren turned over in his sleep, his subconscious felt the strange ripples in the force and it made him smile as he slept.

AN: Please review


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